The Delta Grassroots Caucus (DGC) is a broad coalition of grassroots leaders in the eight-state Delta region. DGC is also a founding partner of the Economic Equality Caucus,which advocates for economic equality across the USA.

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Delta Grassroots Caucus Events

Credit Michael Hibblen/ KUAR News, Arkansas Public Radio; Former President Bill Clinton speaking to the Delta Grassroots Caucus on May 2, 2013, at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, Little Rock

Support Empowerment Zone/Enterprise Community/Renewal Community Bill

Posted on January 19, 2009 at 07:11 PM

The Mississippi Delta Grassroots Caucus strongly supports the legislative efforts of Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Rep. Artur Davis (D-AL), and Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-LA) in support of Empowerment Zones (EZ), Renewal Communities (RC) and Enterprise Communities (EC). We would like to relay a message from the EZ/RC/EC coalition in support of these efforts, which are well situated to support EZ/RC/EC community and economic development activities in the Delta and across America. We have a good opportunity for inclusion of this in the economic stimulus package, along with a wide variety of other requests we made on a broad range of economic issues for the Delta.

This message is from Carl Friend, coordinator, EZ/RC/EC Coalition, Northeast Louisiana Economic Alliance, and Eyona Scott Mitchell, of the Pulaski County Empowerment Zone, the Downtown Partnership in Pulaski County, Arkansas. Please note that Sen. Lincoln stressed the importance of this.

Three of the four national leaders of EZ/RC/EC are among the most prominent economic development leaders of our Delta Regional Authority area: Sen. Lincoln of Arkansas, Congressman Rodney Alexander of Louisiana, and Congressman Artur Davis of Alabama. These three Members of Congress are showing not only regional but national leadership, and they merit our support. If you have any contacts or information about EZ/RC/EC that would be pertinent to the message below, please contact Carl Friend or Eyona Scott Mitchell ASAP. Their contact information is included below.
Thanks–Lee Powell, MDGC

MESSAGE FROM THE EZ/RE/EC COALITION

The coalition’s legislation could be reintroduced in the House as early as Friday (i/16) and in the Senate as early as next week. We are well situated for inclusion in the recovery/stimulus package. The decision will be made within the next two weeks. Our sponsors, Congressmen Artur Davis (AL-7-D) and Rodney Alexander (LA-5-R) and Senators Blanche Lincoln (AR-D) and Olympia Snowe (ME-R) have placed the bills high on their priority lists and are pushing hard for their inclusion in the recovery/stimulus package. They need current stats and success stories. I know it is short notice but I need the following from each of zone & community.

Statistics:

1) Number of jobs lost in your community/zone in 2008

2) Number of zone or community jobs created or saved with relationship to community projects in 2007 & 2008-direct, indirect, & induced, &

3) The total employed workforce from the BLS in January 2007 and the total employed workforce for December 2008.

Stories:

If you don’t have all, please send what you have, especially the stories. To use Senator Lincoln’s phrase, we need “to put a face on” our zones and communities by telling our stories of businesses being created, community enhancing ways our business are using the benefits in the zone/community-go beyond the numbers to reveal the EZRCEC impacts on children, family, workers.

For the stats just give me the five numbers.
For the stories give me your 1 or 2 best, brief please, with a ‘telling’ photo if you have it readily available. Senator Lincoln stressed that these are needed to help convince the need for our cause. We need this as quickly as you can get it.